Fort Verde Days announced its grand marshal as Dr. Jim Bleak, a veterinarian and Camp Verde native, for the 69th annual event.
Taking place on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11 and 12, Fort Verde Days kicks off with a parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday led by the grand marshal.
After opening nominations for grand marshal back in March, the town received nearly 30 nominations.
“Some people had multiple nominations,” Parks and Rec Manager Shawna Figy said. “And we took those nominations to our parks and rec commission, … they’re the ones who kind of narrowed it down to the top three candidates, and then we put that back out to the community.”
The community voted on the final three and Bleak was the “clear winner,” Figy said.
Figy said the event runs in three parts. Fort Verde State Historic Park, the rodeo and the town’s portion of the event, which includes the parade and several vendors.
“They [the historic park] do a bunch of things for Fort Verde Days,” she said. “Obviously, it’s in honor of the fort that we do Fort Verde Days. So they have a lot of their own like historical reenactments and different storytellers and things that go on at the fort during the weekend.”
The fort’s website lists artillery demonstrations, including cannon fire and reenactments, as well as Dutch oven cooking demonstrations for the weekend. Admission to the park is free during Fort Verde Days.
The rodeo takes place in the Camp Verde Equestrian Center and will take place the night of Friday, Oct. 10, and all day Saturday, according to the Camp Verde Arena Association website.
Tickets for the rodeo are available online for $15 in advance. VIP tickets are $25, kids age 6 to 11 are $8 and those 5 and younger are free.
At the gate, VIP and general admission is $5 extra, and kids 6 to 11 are $2 extra.
Tickets are available at Camp Verde Feeds Store in Camp Verde or Casey’s Cowboy Shop in Cottonwood.
Fort Verde Days has been running far longer than the town’s been incorporated.
Figy said this is the 69th year of the event, but only the 39th year of the town.
“It [is] a homecoming-type event,” Figy said. “In years past — since it’s been 69 years — the event has grown, I would say 15 to 20 years ago, they did, you know, they had a ‘Bull Bash’ on community center field. They had vendors, and they had a carnival.”
The Bull Bash back then included many of the things a current rodeo does: Novice bull riding, junior bull riding, calf riding, sheep riding among others events, according to online results dating back to 2010. It’s grown with the town, which has been replaced with the full rodeo.
The town’s portion of the event includes over a hundred vendors as well as live music and events over the weekend, like the Little Britches and Petticoats Contest.
“These little kids get dressed up in their … best historic frontier outfit,” she said. “We have judges, volunteer judges and sometimes the judges ask them questions. And then, the judges, based on their costume, they pick a winner.”
This year overall will be similar to years past, Figy said, but next year will be bigger.
“Next year is going to be the 70th [Fort Verde Days] and it’s also going to be the 40th anniversary of the town,” Figy said. “We’re starting to work on some plans — special stuff for Fort Verde Days next year to celebrate both of those things.”
Schedule
Saturday
- 7 to 9:30 a.m.: Kiwanis will be holding their Pancake Breakfast in the kitchen.
- 10 a.m.: The parade kicks off at the start of Fort Verde Days. Led by Dr. Jim Bleak as this year’s grand marshal.
- 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Events includes: Axe Throwing, Kids Adventure Zone [bounce houses, sandbox, other games], Pony Rides
- 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.: Live music: Andrew McGowan
- 12:45 to 2:30 p.m.: Live music: The Hellcats w/ Devil Don & Arvel Bird
- 2:30 to 4:15 p.m.: Live music: Char Carroll & Friends
- 4:15 to 6 p.m.: Live music: Cassandra Long Band
Sunday
- 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Event includes: Axe Throwing, Kids Adventure Zone [bounce houses, sandbox, other games], Pony Rides
- 11 a.m. to noon: The Little Britches and Petticoats Contest. The contestants will be riding in the parade on Saturday.
- Noon to 2 p.m.: Live music: The Cartwrights
- 2 to 4 p.m.: Live music: Mystery Train
